The firste stok, fader of gentilesse —
What man that desireth gentil for to be
Must folowe his trace, and alle his wittes dresse
Vertu to love and vyces for to flee.
For unto vertu longeth dignitee
And noght the revers, saufly dar I deme,
Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
This firste stok was ful of rightwisnesse,
Trewe of his word, sobre, pitous, and free,
Clene of his gost, and loved besinesse,
Ayeinst the vyce of slouthe, in honestee;
And, but his heir love vertu as dide he,
He is noght gentil, thogh he riche seme,
Al were he mytre, croune, or diademe.
Vyce may wel be heir to old richesse,
But ther may no man, as men may wel see,
Bequethe his heir his vertuous noblesse
(That is appropred unto no degree
But to the firste fader in magestee,
That maketh hem his heyres that him queme),
(Geoffrey Chaucer)
More Poetry from Geoffrey Chaucer:
Geoffrey Chaucer Poems based on Topics: Man- Complaint unto Pity, The (Geoffrey Chaucer Poems)
- Complaint of Chaucer to his Purse, The (Geoffrey Chaucer Poems)
- A Balade of Complaint (Geoffrey Chaucer Poems)
- Chaucers Wordes unto Adam (Geoffrey Chaucer Poems)
- Anelida and Arcite (Geoffrey Chaucer Poems)
- The Canterbury Tales; CHAUCER'S TALE OF SIR THOPAS (Geoffrey Chaucer Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Man PoemsBased on Keywords: gentil, richesse, ful, sobre, alle, revers, dide, vertuous, fader, riche, noght